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If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you’ll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

CE Community member Rob Anderson is releasing a new comic project, this one set in the Oz universe!

Legends of Oz: Tik-Tok and the Kalidah is a 3-issue miniseries, published by Big Dog Ink (BDI). Issue #1 appeared in the April Diamond Previews catalog and will be available in local comic shops in June.

BDI Publisher, Tom Hutchinson, wrote on Facebook, “Rob Anderson has produced an amazing story for Tik-Tok, and has even given him a kalidah for a partner.”

In the story, Tik-Tok, the clockwork “one-man army” of traditional Oz lore, is a bounty hunter teamed with the patchwork Oz animal, which resembles a cross between a tiger and a bear. The mini-series is being released in conjunction with the 100-year anniversary of the Tik-Tok character.

Rob wrote the full script for issue #1, and also provided a story outline for the remaining two issues, written by Keith Thomas.

Rob comments:

“Tom Hutchinson created this great universe that mashes up the Land of Oz with a classic Western, and he has only rarely let other writers play in this sandbox over the last several years. I was very excited to have this opportunity. Right out of the gate, I pitched a ‘bounty hunter’ concept, using two of my favorite Oz characters.”

Legends of Oz: Tik-Tok and the Kalidah will be in comic stores beginning in June!

Congrats to Rob and the creative team!

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If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you’ll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Newsarama asked readers to submit their three favorite Marvel stories ever published, and received an overwhelming response. They assigned a point system to determine the top ten.

Annihilation was published in 2006, and launched a new era for Marvel’s cosmic stories. Among the eventual tie-in titles was Guardians of the Galaxy, now scheduled for film release in summer 2014.

During his tenure on Marvel’s editorial staff, Andy proposed the Annihilation project based on his long-standing fondness for Marvel’s cosmic characters.

On making the 10 Best list, Andy says:

I’m very proud of the work that all the creators did on Annihilation. I had a plan, a direction and tone I wanted to go in, what I thought would be something that felt new, but we were all very much aware that we were not the creators of these characters, and we wanted to celebrate what come before, while pushing in a new direction.

The result–making its way to a major motion picture–has far exceeded any of our wildest dreams.

So I’d say congratulations to all the writers, artists, color artists, letterer, and fellow editors–and thank you to all the fans that kept pushing Marvel Cosmic forward and spreading the good word.

Congrats to Andy, and to all the creators whose work is represented on the list of Marvel favorites!

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If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you’ll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

One of our newest courses is now open for enrollment, and instructor Scott Johnson is here to answer some questions about it!

Introduction to Digital Painting provides a fun and thorough foundation in the practice of digital art. This unique process is different from traditional comic book penciling, inking and coloring, but uses principles that benefit artists in any medium.

The course will introduce students to concepts they can apply to any kind of visual art, while covering techniques specific to painting in Photoshop. Beginners and experienced artists are welcome!

Instructor Scott Johnson is a 20-year veteran and pioneer in the field of digital painting. Below, he offers details about himself and his CE course.

Check out our Q&A with Scott, and see our course page for additional info and enrollment. Seats are limited, so don’t wait!

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Who is this course designed for?

This is an “Intro Level” class, so it is designed for anyone new to digital painting. It will cover basic art rendering concepts as well as the basic digital techniques of painting in Photoshop with a pressure sensitive tablet. I expect a wide range knowledge among students. Some may be experienced artists who are new to digital illustration. Others may be familiar with Photoshop, but not experienced in digital painting techniques. Others may be completely new to both sides of digital art.

What can students expect to be able to do after completing the course?

The course will teach them the techniques necessary to paint objects and/or characters over existing line drawings.

What do you want prospective students to know about you?

I would not have been successful unless I had teachers of my own who helped me along the way. I want to help my students become better artists and achieve their individual goals.

How did you develop the skills that you’ll be teaching?

In the late ’90s, digital illustration was in its infancy, but I recognized that it was the future of commercial art. I had been a professional illustrator for many years, but I wanted to transition from doing pen & ink interior book illustration to doing color book covers. I bought an early digital tablet and taught myself digital painting (through countless hours of experimentation and trial & error). Over the last 15 years I have been working digitally, using the tools and techniques I will be teaching in this course.

Introduction to Digital Painting with Scott Johnson begins Monday, June 2. Visit our course page for more details and to reserve your seat!

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If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you’ll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

Here are a few photos from our meet-up. Thanks to all who attended, and if you couldn’t make it this time, we hope to see you at a future event!

Continue to watch this space for updates about our panels, meet-ups and more during upcoming conventions this season!

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If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you’ll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

A new episode of the Comics Experience Make Comics podcast has been posted! Each episode provides ~15 minutes of advice on all aspects of creating comics and breaking in to the industry.

Join Comics Experience founder and former Marvel and IDW Editor Andy Schmidt and his co-host Joey Groah as they discuss making comics!

Subscribe to our podcast via iTunes! Or check out the latest episode below or on our Podcast page!

Episode #67, “Writing for the Trade?”Stories are read in individual issues and in trades or collections. Andy and Joey talk about pacing stories as single issues and how to approach “writing for the trade.”

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If you want to make comics, write, draw, letter, and color comics, or improve as a comics creator, you’ll find like-minded friends and colleagues in our online workshops and courses. We hope to see you there!

“Andy Schmidt is one of the best editors I’ve ever worked with. His editorial suggestions are always on the mark and very stimulating. After talking with him, I’m filled with new ideas and excited to get back to my writing. He understands what makes a story work, and that’s a rare gift.”